NBA Roundup: Trump slams kneeling NBA players; Lakers fall to 2-2; Durant sees Bucks-Clippers Finals


Trump finds NBA players taking knee disgraceful
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the National Anthem against the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the NBA Restart 2020 on August 5, 2020 at HP Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. (AFP)

President Trump said on Fox News that NBA players kneeling during the US national anthem are disgraceful.

Trump said he turns off the game when he sees this.

But NBA players said they don't care about Trump's comments.

A lot of NBA players have been urging social justice in the US by kneeling and wearing Black Lives Matters shirt.

LeBron James, a staunch critic, said the basketball community won't miss Trump's viewership.

Thunder, Chris Paul rumble past Lakers
Chris Paul #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers on August 5, 2020 at HP Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida. (AFP)

The Los Angeles Lakers crashed back  to Earth on Wednesday as it bowed to the Oklahoma City Thunder 105-86 in Orlando, a game after clinching the top seed in the Western Conference against the Utah Jazz.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis scored 19 points and nine points in 30 minutes of play each.

Chris Paul topscored for the Thunder with 21 points.

The Lakers are now 2-2 at the bubble.

Durant forecast: Clippers vs Bucks in Finals
Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets

Injured Kevin Durant sees an NBA Finals showdown in October between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Durant sees the Clippers winning the title.

If Durant is correct, the Clippers will hoist their  first championship ever. If it goes the other way around, the Bucks will have their first title since the 1970s -- when a man named Lewis Alcindor (later renamed as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) was playing for them.

Durant tore his Achilles while playing for the Warriors in the Finals last season. He is not suiting up for the Nets this bubble as he is recovering but is expected to be out on the court next season.

The NBA Foundation has been created to spur economic growth in the Black community.

The league Board of Governors and the NBA Players Association have finalized plans to create the foundation.

The initial contribution will amount to $300 million -- $1 million for each of the 30 teams or $30 million annually -- over the next 10 years.

No player tested for COVID-19 since start of bubble

No NBA player has tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the NBA season bubble on July 31.

Three-hundred forty-three players have been tested since the last results were released last July 29 and they were all cleared.

Miserly Pacers not reason for Larry's leaving

NBA great Larry Bird

NBA great Larry Bird has denied a report that he resigned as Indiana Pacers president due to the team's lack of spending.

In a statement, Bird said: "Nothing could be further from the truth. I left because I want to move on from the Pacers.” (Compiled by Tristan Lozano)